Veterinary Science

Please thoroughly read the General CDE Rules Section at the beginning of this handbook for complete rules and procedures that are relevant to State FFA Career Development Events.

Note: The Team Activity (400 points) listed in the CDE Guidelines will not be part of of the Vet Science Competition offered this year.

Purpose

The purpose of the veterinary science career development event is to promote college and career readiness by providing opportunities to develop technical knowledge and demonstrate practical skills in the field of veterinary science.

Objectives

Participants will demonstrate professional ethics, decision-making, communication and problem-solving skills.
Participants will demonstrate technical competency with small and large animals in the areas of:
1. Anatomy and physiology
2. Clinical procedures
3. Identification
4. Health and safety
5. Medical terminology

Note: species will be focused on those that are observed in Oklahoma Veterinary Practices. These can include (but are not limited to) dogs, cats, cattle, sheep, swine, horses, goats, rabbits, etc.

Event Rules

A school may enter only one team, consisting of four members, in this event. The score for a team will be calculated from all four members’ accrued points.
Individuals or partial teams are not allowed to compete.
Each contestant will participate in only one of the practicum activities.
Only those students who are competing will be allowed to participate in this event.
Any assistance given to a participant from any source during the event, other than an event official, will be sufficient cause to eliminate the team from the event.
Various computer applications may be utilized throughout the event.
Cell phones/personal devices will not be permitted in the contest. They will be collected and placed in the individual folders belonging to the participants’ school. Should a student need to contact their teacher/parent, they can temporarily obtain their phone at the check-in desk to make contact.

Event Format

Team Make-Up

Teams will consist of four members with all four members’ scores counting toward the total team score.

Equipment

Students will provide pencils, non-programmable calculators, and a note and paper free clip board.
Contest officials will provide official scan sheet, notes paper, and specific tools and equipment needed to complete practicums.

Event Schedule

Individuals will complete each section of the event within the allotted time:

Written Exam - 40 Minutes
Math Application - 20 Minutes
Identification - 20 Minutes
Practicum - 7 minutes

Individual Activities:

Written Exam (150 Points)

The objective, multiple-choice exam is designed to determine team members’ broad understanding of the veterinary science field. Some questions will be scenario based. The written exam will consist of 50 multiple-choice questions. Each question will be worth 3 points. Topics for the exam may include:

Behavior
Disease (causes and sources, signs and symptoms)
Medical terminology
Medical Records
Anatomy/physiology
Regulations (federal OSHA, MSDS)
Patient management
Facility Management
Genetics

Math Application (100 Points)

The number of math application questions will vary based on the type of activity that is assigned. Questions may include conversions (including metric system), dose calculations, dilutions, cost calculations, and invoices.
Unit conversion sheets will be provided to each student.

Identification (120 Points)

Participants will identify equipment, parasites, and breeds/species. Identification can include PowerPoint, photos, specimens, and actual equipment. Identification lists are located at the end of the contest guidelines. Students will have a combination of 40 items in the following categories:

Equipment –Participants will identify pieces of equipment (actual equipment and/or photos).
Parasites –Participants will identify parasites (actual and/or photos). Some parasite identifications may require use of a microscope. Microscopes will be provided.
Breeds –Participants will identify breeds of small and large animals (photos).

Team Activities

Practicums (50 Points)

Each team member will complete one practicum worth 50 points. Two students will be assigned for each of the practicum areas defined below, totaling four practicums (200 points). The students will not be made aware of the 4 Practicum options until they enter the exam. They will have 30 seconds to decide which student will perform each Practicum. They will be given a maximum of seven minutes to complete the practicum. Participants are expected to talk through the steps to a judge as they are being scored. Judges may speak and ask questions to the participant at the end of the activity. The scorecards can be found at the end of the contest guidelines. Live animals may/may not be used to perform the Practicums listed below with an asterisk (*).

Following is the list of Handling and Restraining Practicums that students may be asked to perform:

Restraint of the Small Dog for Jugular Venipuncture*
Restraint of the Cat for Jugular Venipuncture*
Restraint of the Dog for Cephalic Venipuncture*
Restraint of the Cat in Lateral Recumbency for Femoral Venipuncture*
Restraint of the Cat for Cehalic IV Catheter Placement
Applying Elizabethan Collar*
Removing Dog From Floor Level Cage to Restrain for Lateral Saphenous Venipuncture
Placing a Tail Tie*
Restraint of a Rabbit
Applying a Nylon Dog Muzzle*
Applying a Gauze Dog Muzzle*
Applying a Cat Muzzle*
Haltering a Horse*
Haltering Ruminants*
Snare Restraint of the Pig*

Clinical Procedures Practicum

Following is the list of Clinical Procedures Practicums that students may be asked to perform. Please be familiar with safe handling of sharp objects, including needles, scalpels, etc.